s which was
this:--Atossa the daughter of Cyrus and wife of Dareios had a tumour upon
her breast, which afterwards burst and then was spreading further:
and so long as it was not large, she concealed it and said nothing to
anybody, because she was ashamed; but afterwards when she was in evil
case, she sent for Demokedes and showed it to him: and he said that he
would make her well, and caused her to swear that she would surely do
for him in return that which he should ask of her; and he would ask, he
said, none of such things as are shameful.

134. So when after this by his treatment he had made her well, then
Atossa instructed by Demokedes uttered to Dareios in his bedchamber some
such words as these: "O king, though thou hast such great power, thou
dost sit still, and dost not win in addition any nation or power for
the Persians: and yet it is reasonable that a man who is both young
and master of much wealth should be seen to perform some great deed, in
order that the Persians may know surely that he is a man by whom they
are ruled. It is expedient indeed in two ways that thou shouldest do so,
both in order that the Persians may know that their ruler is a man, and
in order that they may be worn down by war and not have leisure to plot
against thee. For now thou mightest display some great deed, while thou
art still young; seeing that as the body grows the spirit grows old
also with it, and is blunted for every kind of action." Thus she spoke
according to instructions received, and he answered thus: "Woman, thou
hast said all the things which I myself have in mind to do; for I have
made the plan to yoke together a bridge from this continent to the other
and to make expedition against the Scythians, and these designs will be
by way of being fulfilled within a little time." Then Atossa said: "Look
now,--forbear to go first against the Scythians, for these will be in
thy power whenever thou desirest: but do thou, I pray thee, make an
expedition against Hellas; for I am desirous to have Lacedemonian women
and Argive and Athenian and Corinthian, for attendants, because I hear
of them by report: and thou hast the man who of all men is most fitted
to show thee all things which relate to Hellas and to be thy guide, that
man, I mean, who healed thy foot." Dareios made answer: "Woman, since it
seems good to thee that we should first make trial of Hellas, I think
it better to send first to them men of the Persians together with hi